


The Wicked King and the Fairy Prince

by VioletViper



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Blood and Gore, Enemies to Lovers, Evil Main Characters, Graphic Description of Corpses, M/M, Mention of torture, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, mention of massacre, mention of rape
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-15 09:34:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28811301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VioletViper/pseuds/VioletViper
Summary: "You don't dare to touch me with your filthy hands. I will kill you and set free the innocent people of this evil kingdom."The Wicked King let out a low chuckle, while his gaze caressed the splendid figure of the Prince, eager to rip his clothes off and possess him instantly there on the cold marble floor."I'd like to see you try, fairy."
Relationships: Choi Jongho/Kang Yeosang, Choi San/Jung Wooyoung, Jeong Yunho/Song Mingi, Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa
Comments: 4
Kudos: 23





	1. WARNINGS

I know I should have put them in right away, but up until now the story has been just a confused mass of ideas inside my head.

Now that I have finally managed to untangle my thoughts, I can add all the necessary precautions for you, my dear readers.

But before we get to the heart of the matter, I would like to make a couple of things clear:

**The whole work is a mere fantasy** , there is no malicious intent behind it or intended to hurt the readers; if you should feel overwhelmed ordoubtful about the story please let me know politely, because a rudeattitude will be ignored

**The plot has its motives** , so before drawing hasty conclusions I would ask you to carefullyconsider the context

**I obviously don't know anyof the characters** I write about, so consider the Ateez and anyone else who will be named as lenders

I am sorry to have to point out a concept as fiction, because I am aware that anyone who visits fanfiction sites knows the difference between fantasy and reality; however I feel compelled to write it here in black and white so that my intentions are not misunderstood.

I know this has happened to authors close to me, so I appreciate sincere and direct communication.

**xxWARNINGSxx**

# **Blood**  
# **Evil main characters**  
# **Gore**  
# **Grapic depiction of corpse**  
# **Mention of rape**  
# **Mention of massacre**  
# **Mention of torture**  
# **Smut**  
 **...**

NB: other warnings may be added during construction, so remember to check this page from time to time!

Thank you very much everyone for your patience and waiting for updates.

Alea


	2. Prologue

_**Far away,** _   
_**Long ago,** _   
_**Glowing dim as an ember,** _   
_**Things my heart** _   
_**Used to know** _   
_**Things it yearns to remember** _

_**_Once Upon a December - Liz Callaway** _

**_~°~_ **

**O** nce upon a time there was a Wicked King who was very powerful and feared by everyone.

He had devoted his entire existence to sowing death and destruction, continuing his path on the red carpet of the blood of his victims.  
He was fierce, arrogant and greedy, always eager to go further, to conquer and possess even what was denied to man.  
He mocked the gods and claimed the entire mortal kingdom as his own.  
When he succeeded in his intentions, he fell victim to an unbeatable enemy: Time.   
The sovereign, however great and ferocious he is, was forced to endure the inevitable passing of the years.  
So the day came when there was nothing more to conquer, no one to kill.  
Emptiness and boredom took over, throwing the ruler into a vortex of continuous apathy ...

_O_ nce upon a time there was a Fairy Prince loved by all.  
He has a pure and generous heart, a kind and charitable soul.  
He gave shelter to those who fled the kingdom of the Wicked King, offering comfort and relief to those poor innocents.  
He did his best, though in vain, with every fiber of his being to oppose the cruel sovereign, reluctantly realizing the impossibility of his plans each time.  
But despite the increasingly desperate situation, he did not lose hope, continuing undaunted on his path of peace.  
He was convinced that sooner or later he would triumph over the Wicked King and put an end to his yoke of terror and tyranny ...

**"I'm bored," the Wicked King said.**   
**"Kidnap the Fairy Princess so I can make her my bride."**

_"Have faith." said the Fairy Prince._   
_"The Wicked King's reign of terror will soon be over."_

_**But someone, invisible to mortal gaze, had accepted their requests, taking pleasure in what would have been ...** _


	3. Chapter 1/ Song Mingi's Interlude

_**Listen to the mission** _   
_**I've telling the tradition** _   
_**And I'm giving you permission** _   
_**To be in my head** _

_**_In my head - Pale 3** _

**_~°~_ **

_**Kingdom of Utopia** _

**S** ong Mingi, the Wicked King, was exaggeratedly bored.  
He sat on his obsidian throne, crown onhis lap and expression blank, contemplating the high, dark ceiling ofthe royal hall.

Just that week he had conquered a kingdom, beheaded his regent, slaughtered part of the commoners andtortured the guards to death.

For this umpteenth victory he had organized a sumptuous banquet and great celebrations.

He had ordered his servants to lavishly decorate the Great Hall, making sure they paid particular attention to detail to bring out his power and his riches.  
Long and thick dark wooden tables had been arranged vertically to the long part of the room, so that they could welcome all the protagonists for that evening.  
Exponents of the military, political and social classes were scattered all over the place, carousing and celebrating the recent conquest. Delicacies of all kinds were served on shiny golden plates, accompanied by ancient and precious wines,opened especially for the occasion.  
Artists and courtesans roamed the room everywhere, entertaining diners with their arts or bodies, taking part in the general festivities.

But despite the euphoria the Wicked King merely watched his guests enjoy themselves and take advantage of his generosity, like rats rummaging in the pantry; a sense of disgust and vomit seized the king, feeling the familiar need to kill them all, to punish them for their greed and rudeness.

The young king clenched his hands on the arms of the throne, barely containing that restless bloodlust that never left him, which had accompanied him since he could remember it. Trying to get distracted, he nodded to one of the waiters, who nervously approached to hand him one of the goblets and cautiously walk away after giving him a deep bow.  
No one in that room dared to give him a look or a word, terrified of annoying him and ending up beheaded instantly.  
Only the awareness of instilling terror and fear in every person present there slowed him down a little, saving him from that boredom without remedy; he loved to see those little homunculi tremble in front of him, knowing that a single word from him could mean instant death.

Satisfied with his thoughts, he liked his lips, savoring the sublime wine stolen from the cellars of the newly conquered kingdom and enjoying the pleasure of victory, here mained alone for a few more moments, because then it would vanish like a dream when he woke up.  
He soon got tired of watching these pigs who called themselves men and retired to his rooms, ready to sink into the world of dreams.

The next day everything started all over again. He had enjoyed it, but now he was annoyed.  
He had nothing to do: no one to threaten, no one to kill; a dull royal morning.

"Seonghwa, come here!"shouted the sovereign.

From the shadows of the hall a tall figure in black armor appeared behind him, his head bowed awaiting orders.

"Find me something to do, I'm bored."

The man behind in armor rolled his eyes, picturing a headache coming.

"The temple of the God Eden has welcomed new virgins and new neophytes."

"I've been there before and they weren't anything special."

"A white dragon was spotted a month ago on the edge of the kingdom."

"His body is being skinned now, I'll make a nice pair of gloves and boots for my collection."

"The king of the kingdom in the East is refusing to pay this month's tribute."

"We have already conquered a kingdom this week, I don't want it. Look Seonghwa, at this rate there's nothing left but your ass to take."

"..."

"Do you seriously care so little about your backside? Because in that case you can go get ready in my room."

Seonghwa covered his eyes and sighed wearily, wondering what he had done wrong to deserve such a chore.  
More than the right arm of the King, he felt like his nurse and whenever his Majesty was bored he ended up being threatened with the loss of his anal virginity.

He thought about the last chat between the servants, looking for an interesting activity to propose to the capricious king.  
Fortunately, he remembered the words of the servants from the previous evening.

"There would be something else, but if His Majesty prefers to play with his faithful servant, so beit. I would take leave to go get ready." with these words Seonghwa had thrown the bait and counted to 5 before seeing the young King turn to stare at him, his eyes illuminated by a sinister interest.

"What do you want to hide from me?Do you want to keep it all to yourself? I didn't think you were so greedy, Hwa."

"I do not want to hide anything from his Majesty. " conspiratorially and looking around, the knight leaned over the King's left ear, whispering so that only he could hear.

"They have glimpsed the heir of the Fairy Kingdom at the edge of the wood. They seem to help anyone who seeks refuge from You."

Saying those words Seonghwa knew he had awakened a thirsty beast and who knows what else. But he didn't care. He didn't give a damn at all as long as his ass was out of the hands of the restless ruler.  
He watched the king caress his chin thoughtfully, a mad grin and haunted eyes, the excitement and frenzy of putting his hands on the heir of the Fairies made his blood boil, while he dismissed the knight with one hand.

Left alone again, the king rose from his imposing throne, walking briskly towards the doors of the room, headed to his personal quarters.

How long had he not gotten his hands on something so innocent and pure? Just the idea of ruining such a precious creature made him hard. He could feel the crotch of his pants tense more and more, his erection pressed painfully against the leather garment.  
With an impatient gesture of his hand he ordered a servant to follow him, hastily to release all that sexual tension.  
Before shutting himself in the bedroom, he prepared orders for his trusted men, licking his lips anxiously to subdue his next prey.

Seonghwa, who had watched every move of the ruler hidden in the shadows, could not help but grin and compliment himself.  
Soon a page would come to him with His Majesty's orders, so he headed directly to the common area he shared with the king's other two trusted men, Wooyoung and Yeosang, eager to inform them of their new assignment: they would certainly bet on who had managed to kidnap the young heir of the Fairies.  
With the information he already possessed, he could take the lead over the other two to ensure the victory.

What could he have asked for as a reward?  
He lacked nothing, neither power nor money. He too had an abundance of women, he had so many that he was sick of them. A legendary artifact could be a good choice. Or a rare creature, perhaps the last of his kind.  
He had time to decide, he would worry about it later.  
Now he just had to focus on his next task. After all, he needed a distraction too, not just the king.

Smirking like a madman, the Black Knight disappeared into the endless corridors of the castle.


	4. Chapter 2/Jeong Yunho's Interlude

_**Oro, turchese, amaranto** _   
_**Corallo, smeraldo e caffè** _   
_**La bimba in quel cielo d'oriente** _   
_**Vide la vita e l'amore che c'è** _

_**_Il terzo fuochista - Tosca** _

**_~°~_ **

_**Fairy Kingdom of Aurora** _

_G_ oodness, courage, mercy.  
Jeong Yunho, the Fairy Prince, was all this and more.

Heir to the noble lineage of the Fairies and 35th successor to the throne of the Fairy Kingdom of Aurora, as a child he was instructed by his parents, Oberon Hojun and Titania Minyoung, to become the next ruler.

Praised and loved by the entire Fae population, he had spent part of his life knowing and understanding the needs of his people, proving on several occasions that he possessed a pure and humble heart despite the social difference and noble blood in his veins.

Studying day and night, he had known the outside world through old and yellowed books, often covered with a thread of dust but which in his infant's eyes revealed stories that were both magnificent and terrible at the same time.   
In his innocent mind everything was marvelous and astonishing, a continuous dance of grandiose events. He had lived multiple lives identifying himself with those of valiant heroes and great rulers, wishing with all of himself to be able to follow those same footsteps someday not too far away.

But with the growth came the realization that the world was not only composed of knights in shining armor and wise rulers, but also of something much darker and deeper, something that brought pain and death without any distinction: Evil.

The first time he had experienced the horrors of evil he was only 10 years old.

He had gone out early on a beautiful summer morning with Hongjoong, a very dear friend and faithful companion, supervised by Master Yujin. The task of that lesson was focused on the distinction of the various plants for medicinal or poisonous use.

The small expedition was supposed to end shortly before sunset, allowing the two young students the time necessary to collect the samples and document their research; at the same time master Yujin took advantage of the situation to show the boys how to orient themselves and survive in a forest.

Starting from recognizing the footprints of various animals, passing through how to improvise a makeshift shelter and how to move undisturbed among the trees, Yunho and Hongjoong were experiencing one of the happiest and most peaceful day of their childhood.

Moving near the border with Utopia's Kingdom a strange, unpleasant and acrid smell had spread into the air and Hongjoong noticed it, turning to their mentor to express his doubt.

"Master Yujin, what is this sickening smell?"

Yujin had already smelled it for an hour and had chosen to remain alert rather than interrupt their lesson; but as they approached the territory of the men that disgusting stench increased.  
He furrowed his eyebrows doubtfully, recognizing it but failing to associate it with anything definite.  
Then when Prince Yunho cried out in despair, a sense of cold and terror squeezed him to the pit of his stomach, leading him to reach the young Fae in a flutter of wings.

A gruesome scene presented itself before them: hanging from the wrists to a large oak tree was the slaughtered body of a fairy.  
His clothes were soaked with blood that had leaked copiously from the gash in his throat; several infected cuts and now full of larvae were scattered all over the corpse; one of his eyes was missing, indicating that the crows had already begun to feast on the carcass; the rancid smell of putrefaction plagued the air making it almost dense, unbreathable.  
But what shocked the three fairies most were the deep furrows on his back, a clear sign that his wings had been violently ripped off. It was now clear that before his throat was slit he had been cruelly tortured.

The young Fae could not hold back the gagging and tears, feeling violated to the core by the gruesome and brutal sight before their eyes.  
Yujin clenched his fists until his nails stuck in the palms of his hands, clenching his jaw and suppressing a cry of anger: first he had to bring the boys back to safety in the faeburgh, he didn't know if the executioners were still around there and he didn't want to take risks of any kind. He took deep breaths, pushing the bile down his throat and grabbing Yunho and Hongjoong by the arms, dragging them away from the place.   
As soon as they reached a distance that he considered safe, he ordered his students to drink some water to compose themselves, trying to calm them as best he could.

"Now we will quickly go home, then we will send a team to recover the body. Rest assured, as long as you are with me nothing bad will happen to you."

Hongjoong and Yunho nodded without seeming reassured by the master's words: that day would remain indelibly engraved in their minds.

Once back within the city walls, Yujin entrusted the boys to Titania's care, retiring to Oberon's private study to discuss the serious matter.

It was known that the wings of the fairies were invisible and intangible to the eyes of humans but thanks to old spells and specific potions it was possible to show them to the non-magical.  
The extirpation of the wings was already a traumatic experience itself, which could lead the victim to go mad or die from pain; it was used as an extreme punishment for those Fae who had committed unspeakable and unforgivable crimes, but had been banned for at least a couple of generations.

Hojun and Yujin were extremely worried, but they didn't know where to start the investigation, where to look for a culprit.  
The day after the discovery of the body, they sent a well-trained team to retrieve it, in order to examine it and grant it a proper burial.  
During the rest of the week they were able to trace his identity: he was a young Fae who had moved to live in Utopia's Kingdom; the boy was supposed to visit his parents, but he never made it to the family home.  
There was no trace of the killers but the suspicion that they were traffickers of magical body parts was very strong: only such individuals could be the perpetrators of such a horrendous murder.

Archiving the case as a tragic murder, the entire Fairy Kingdom of Aurora remained in mourning for 3 days, to allow those who wanted to pay their last respects to the innocent.

Hongjoong and Yunho stood watching the continuation of the affair on the sidelines, but when it was declared that it was only a serious murder by traffickers, the prince was not at all convinced.  
That story was strange and some pieces did not fit the big picture: why take only the wings and not the blood and eyes? Why not get rid of the body rather than leave it on display, as if it were a warning?  
Yunho could not rest easy and had exposed his impressions to his mentor and father, but both preferred to believe that it was a unique and isolated case. Yunho decided to silence the questions in his soul, trying to trust the judgment of those who had more experience than him.  
However, the worm of uncertainty continued to inhabit his mind and when two months later dozens of other bodies were found on the edge of the kingdom killed in the same way, the prince realized that he should insist on his convictions, because perhaps he could have saved the victims who came after the first.

The entire Fairy Kingdom of Aurora was troubled and deeply wounded on the day of the coronation of the new king of Utopia's Kingdom: dressed completely in black and with a cold and cruel look, the child king marched to his throne stepping on a carpet made of fairies' wings.

In that precise instant Prince Yunho remembered all the stories he had read and how men became heroes because they had always an antagonist to fight; it was then that Jeong Yunho, Fairy Prince and 35th heir to the throne of the Fairy Kingdom of Aurora, swore that he would become the one who would kill the Evil King, Song Mingi.


	5. Chapter 3

**_He will go down he will drown drown, deeper down_ **   
**_The river wild will take your only child_ **   
**_He will go down he will drown drown deeper down_ **   
**_The mills grind slow in a riverbed ghost town_ **

**_Ghost river - Nightwish_ **

**~°~**

_**Borders** _

"He went that way!"

"Quick, get him!"

"Come here you little bastard!"

Violent and angry screams spread through the trees on the edge of the Enchanted Forest, on the border with Utopia's Kingdom.

A dozen men in black armor were running like excited beasts, chasing a kid; the little boy wasted no time looking over his shoulder, trying to force his tiny legs to go as fast as possible.

The tears shed so far had dried on his cheeks, creating clean lines on the dirty face; his throat ached as if it were on fire and his body began to give way under the exhausting rhythm of that escape and yet the little one kept running in despair, as the terror of being captured and brought back was stronger than the fear of dying .

The laughter and the coarse screams of the pursuers were getting closer and closer, he could feel their hot breath on his neck and the leather of the whip tearing his back: soon they would have him. He wasn't going to make it.

When a gloved hand closed on the back of the worn rags and tugged brutally, the young boy stopped instantly, bouncing back in the soldier's grip: it was over.

Before he had a chance to process the situation a heavy slap hit him in the face, knocking him to the ground.

"You finally stopped, little prick."

"It's a shame we can't spoil the merchandise, this little shit deserves the legs amputation for making us waist all this time."

"And who says we can't have fun? We could do a quick quality check, just to be sure it's suitable for sale ..."

The child began to scream and squirm, begging for mercy, begging for death rather than similar treatment, as the soldiers laughed at his futile attempts at resistance.  
The man who towered above him with one hand held his wrists over his head and with the other pulled off his torn trousers, grunting worse than a pig; he lustily ran his tongue over his lips ready to descend on the poor boy.

"Now we have fun ..." the man whispered in the little one's ear, while the younger narrowed his eyes and tightened his jaw, trying to brace himself for the worst.

Large and dirty hands ran through the tiny body with revolting caresses, accompanied by obscene moans and grins in the background: he could feel them advancing further and further down, towards the lower abdomen and, when they were a few inches from his crotch, they suddenly stopped.

The soldier made a bizarre sound from his mouth, strangled and painful, almost incredulous; the grip on the young boy's wrist loosened and his flaccid body slumped awkwardly on his left side. A thick arrow pierced his large neck, its sharp point covered with a few drops of blood.

The kid remained still in his position, shocked: around him he could hear the soldiers screaming and beating against someone or something. He heard them all succumb to a silent and lethal enemy, rejoicing in their death.

When all was quiet again, a figure covered in a dark green cloak entered his field of vision and knelt beside him, staring at him with green eyes full of kindness and compassion.

"It's over, little one. Come with me, I'll take you to a safe place."

The stranger held out his right hand, helping him to get up and get dressed; he picked him up delicately and led him to a closer part of the forest, where a brown horse was waiting for them. They both climbed onto the animal's back and set off at great speed, riding as if they had death chasing them.

"What's your name little one?"

"I'm Ha Rin ..."

"What were you doing in the forest? Why were those men chasing you?"

The child hesitated a few moments, unsure whether to continue answering the stranger's questions: he had saved his life, but he did not know if he could trust him completely. What if he was one of those traffickers? An even worse fate would befall him.

The stranger observed the different expressions that passed on the face of the younger, sensing his concerns. There was probably more he should have known, so he decided to push it a little longer.

"Forgive me if I haven't introduced myself yet: I'm Jeong Yunho, very nice to meet you. I don't know what happened to you but I can assure you I'm taking you to a safe place. Looking at you I would say that you are not completely human ... "

Yunho paused for a while, studying Ha Rin's reaction before continuing, giving him time to absorb his words.

"If I had to guess I would say you're a half-breed, probably a Halfae. Did I guess?"

The kid began to tremble in fright before the prince pulled off his hood and smiled reassuringly, revealing his face and his fairy features.

"As you can see there is nothing to be afraid of, since I am a Fae too, so if you want you can tell me your story, because I have the impression that there is more that I need to know."

Ha Rin, overwhelmed by everything that had happened, let himself go to a lot of tears, finally feeling safe and secure. Between a sob and another, while he hid his face in the brown jacket of the oldest, he told him the events of the last two days.

He told him how he and his little sister, Ha Yoon, had been abandoned by his grandmother at the gates of the orphanage; how, despite the poverty and decay of the structure, they grew up happy and serene under the loving care of the director. He explained how from day one the old woman forced them to hide their Fae's features, so as not to attract the attention of the greedy and dangerous gazes of the Merchants of Rarity, unscrupulous men who lived in the castle and worked for the Wicked King for organize the Auction of Wonders.

He thought that life of poverty but happy would go on forever, that he and Ha Yoon would grow and age together, then go to the forest to die when the time came.

Instead, a little less than a week ago, everything had changed.

He did not know why but some court Merchants had visited the orphanage and among more than 30 children he and his younger sister had been chosen for the Auction, the disgusting evening between nobles and high-ranking soldiers who would have bet every penny to grab them the rarities exhibited for the occasion.

Being half Fae, the two family members had been noticed immediately by the men of the court: the prayers of the headmistress were useless and she had even been whipped for daring to beg for mercy for her children.The little ones had only to escape: Ha Rin, in a fit of courage, had grabbed the arm of Ha Yoon, running desperately to the outside of the structure.

The soldiers, committed to punishing the woman, did not immediately notice the disappearance of the two children, but soon they were on their trail as hunting hounds: unfortunately Ha Yoon, too small to handle all that situation, had dropped to the ground, screaming to him to escape in the forest and find the Green Whisper, their only hope of salvation.

Ha Rin had continued that desperate run, hoping to shake off the soldiers and find the savior of the poor innocents who tried to leave Utopia's Kingdom.

"Then you came and saved me. Please Yunho, help my sister too. I can't abandon her."

The kid had whispered the last words very softly, as if someone could hear them and prevent him from rescuing the child. Yunho, who had heard that gruesome story, had gritted his teeth and wished again the death to the Wicked King.

"Of course Ha Rin, after I leave you at the tent camp, I'll go back to pick up your sister and we'll be back before midnight. Look, we're almost there."

With his gaze fixed in front of him, Yunho pointed to the safe place he had told him about, continuing to instruct him on what to do once there.

"When you are in front of the guards, report that Jeong Yunho left you here and let Choi San, the healer bring you: he will take care of you."

With controlled gestures the Fae stopped the horse, helping Ha Rin down and watching him walk the last few meters before the field; when he was sure that the boy had arrived at his destination he turned his steed and rode at full speed down the road he had come from, his heart swollen with anger and hatred towards the Wicked King.

He would kill him sooner or later.

It was just a matter of time.

_**Tent city** _

That clearing seemed to have come out of a fairy tale, one that the director told the children before going to sleep.

An immense green space in the middle of the forest, invaded by a myriad of tents of different colors and probably a hundred inhabitants between Fae and humans.

Ha Rin, in his short life, had never seen anything like that.

With his big dark eyes he watched everything carefully, noticing how everyone got along and worked together.

In the beginning there was a reception point for new arrivals, where people were redirected to other parts of the tent city.  
Next to it there was a department for medications, where not only wounded and sick were treated, but where everyone's health was regularly checked.  
At the center were the more modest tents, all identical to each other: they were the temporary homes of those who stopped at the Tent City or of the volunteers who worked there.  
On the right side a small market had been improvised, where it was possible to exchange essential goods; on the left, instead, were those dedicated to general learning and continuous training of the soldiers who protected the place.  
Where the clearing approached the edge of the forest, on a slightly raised area from the rest of the ground, there was a huge red tent, wide and almost completely open: the headquarters of the Tent City.

"What do you think, little one? Do you like what you see?"

It was the reassuring voice of the Captain of the guard, Choi Jongho, who took Ha Rin out of his astonishment; as soon as the man saw the kid reach the Tent City alone he ran to meet him, listening to the story of the child as they walked together towards the medic ward.

Ha Rin shrugged his shoulders without knowing how to answer, but squeezed his tiny hand in that big and warm soldier's, smiling shyly at him; Jongho had scrutinized him silently, seething with anger at hearing his story and becoming aware of his poor appearance.

The Captain had sighed in defeat, because the Prince, as usual, had acted too hastily by going back alone to save Ha Rin's little sister, but he understood what had prompted the enterprising Fae to do so, failing to blame him for that dangerous choice.  
Jongho knew Yunho was more than perfectly capable of getting by on his own and handling the situation he'd gotten himself into: it wasn't the first time this happened and it wouldn't be the last.

Yet, a strange tingling at the base of his neck didn't allow him to feel comfortable, not as he would have wanted.  
A slight paranoia was haunting his mind, causing him to worry more than necessary: talking about it with San would surely calm him, maybe he would even ask for one of his soothing soups to chase away that feeling of discomfort.

The main medical tent was much smaller than the one used as a field hospital, as the cousin used it as a personal accommodation and study; the furniture was basic but comfortable, consisting of a cot, a chest and a desk for working.

The healer was seated at the table, bending over to write on some sheets, several open books scattered disorderly on the rest of the wooden surface and a small cauldron bubbling lazily a little further on.

"Hey San! Can we disturb you?"

Hearing being called, the dark-haired man raised his head, frowning at the guests at the entrance; the two men exchanged a brief glance, before San rose from his position, walking around the desk, to join his guests.

Ha Rin squeezed Jongho's hand and, still feeling a little confused, carefully watched the healer stop in front of them and give them a warm smile, showing his pretty dimples.

"Hey Jongho, no trouble. And who is this young man with you?"

Jongho clenched his jaw once more, remembering the child's atrocious tale, but he composed himself before the other two could notice it: it was neither the time nor the place to get angry; he let out a deep breath, trying to clear his mind, before turning back to San.

"He is Ha Rin, the Prince brought him. Very soon his sister Ha Yoon will join us too, in the meantime could you take care of him while I look for Hongjoong?"

Ha Rin, following the exchange between the two, nodded shyly, giving San a small smile.  
Jongho sighed relieved and took his leave, heading for the headquarters.

Hours later, after dinner, the two men together with Hongjoong, the Prince's wise adviser, waited patiently at the entrance to the Tent City, Jongho's agitation became a sentiment shared by all present.Ha Rin had fallen asleep shortly after eating, his emotional and physical exhaustion had got the better of him; they had left him in San's tent, guarded by one of the healers.

Jongho and Hongjoong had talked for hours that afternoon, discussing the Prince's attitude; they had both realized for some time that Yunho's heroic soul would sooner or later lead to his death, or perhaps even worse.

The three scanned the dark horizon in the hope of seeing something, anything, that would take that weight off their heart.

More hours passed and, just as Jongho was about to mount his horse, an unusual movement caught the attention of Hongjoong, who let out a strangled cry before hovering in the air and flying to meet the approaching figure.

San and Jongho ran after him and, as they approached, they recognized the silhouette of the Prince's steed but without its rider: the horse had returned alone to the camp.

Hongjoong, who had been the first to reach the animal, realized with horror that the beast was not alone but was carrying the unconscious body of a child on its back.

_**Utopia's Kingdom - Throne room** _

"As you ordered, I have brought the heir of the fairies to your presence."

"But he's a man!"


End file.
